Bobby Pulido Flips TX-15
The Grammy-winning Tejano singer won a crucial South Texas House seat for Democrats.
November 4, 2026 · Updated Nov 4, 2:46pm ET
The New York TimesBobby Pulido, a Tejano Music Star, Flips a House Seat in Texas for Democrats
CBS NewsDemocrat Bobby Pulido flips crucial South Texas district, defeating Rep. Monica De La Cruz
Washington ExaminerDemocrat Bobby Pulido flips House district redrawn by Texas Republicans
TIME MagazineThe Texas Midterms Showed that Latino Voters Are Still Looking For a Political Home
The Texas TribuneSouth Texas congressional Democrats win reelection
New York PostTexas GOP Rep. Monica De La Cruz loses to Dem musician who sang at 80 quinceañeras
El PaisBobby Pulido in 10 songs: The music of the Tejano singer who flipped Texas’s 15th District
Joe.My.God.Grammy-Winning Tejano Singer Flips TX US House Seat
45%
Left · 4
33%
Center · 3
22%
Right · 2
Pano rates the coverage Balanced.
What happened
- Democrat Bobby Pulido
Bobby PulidoAmerican musician and politician defeated Republican incumbent Monica De La Cruz
Monica De La CruzAmerican politician and businesswoman (born 1974), flipping Texas’s 15th Congressional District to Democrats. - His win in South Texas came despite Republican efforts to redraw the district’s boundaries in their party’s favor.
- Pulido, a Latin Grammy-winning Tejano singer, campaigned as a conservative Democrat who supported a secure border.
- He focused on the economy, healthcare and immigration, and performed at 75 quinceañeras during the campaign to connect with voters.
- The final tally remained incomplete: preliminary results showed Pulido leading 62.32% to 37.68% with 95% of ballots counted.
How the left told it
Left-leaning outlets emphasized a Democratic breakthrough among Latino voters and Pulido’s community ties. The New York Times described a “deep backlash” against Republicans and Trump; TIME highlighted outreach that made voters “feel seen,” while El País explored the music behind his local popularity.
How the right told it
Right-leaning outlets highlighted the Republican setback despite favorable redistricting and revisited scrutiny of Pulido’s former bandmate. The New York Post foregrounded his “ties to a registered sex offender”; the Washington Examiner also covered that controversy, noting his campaign said he was unaware of the charges when they performed together.
